Beartracks band and friends are storming the Wayside stage
DEXTER — Wayside Grange & Theatre is excited to host Beartracks, featuring siblings Tommy and Julie and friends, bringing you a great night of bluegrass standards, originals and songs with a twist.
They began as a trio in 2004 with legendary dobro player Junior Barber who convinced his cousins, Tom and Julie, to make the switch from playing traditional country music in clubs to playing bluegrass oriented material at festivals around the Northeast. The main focus of the group was the sibling vocal harmony of Tom and Julie and Junior’s unique stylist approach to playing resonator guitar. Although not a traditionally structured bluegrass group, the trio gained acceptance and a solid fan base at festivals throughout the Eastern U.S. and in Canada from Calgary to Prince Edward Island.
BEARTRACKS — Beartracks will perform bluegrass standards and originals with a twist at the Wayside Grange & Theatre in North Dexter at 7 p.m. on Saturday, Aug. 23.
When illness forced Junior to retire in June of 2013, Beartracks added a banjo and fiddle to give a more traditional sound. Beartracks has been fortunate to have some very skilled musicians working with them over the years and have found that as long as Julie and Tom are together, the backbone of Beartracks remains the same.
Since their inception in 2004, Beartracks has recorded six albums, available on CD Baby, I-Tunes, Rhapsody and Spotify which includes traditional bluegrass songs, classic country with a bluegrass twist and originals.
Tom Foote, from KAOS-FM, Olympia, Washington commented, “Smooth vocals from Tom and his sister Julie in the old-time duet tradition.”
From now through October, Wayside Grange & Theatre will continue entertaining the Penquis area with a wide variety of music. Many of the musical groups stemming from the area and others traveling a great distance. McKusick Petroleum, again is fostering great music in the Penquis Region with their generous donation to help continue the Wayside Grange & Theatre music mission.
The 2025 lineup also includes Sept. 11 House of Hamill and Oct. 11 Variety Show.
The Wayside Grange & Theater in Dexter presents programs of theater and music in an historic and acoustically perfect setting. The building has served the Dexter community for decades and continues in 2025.
The Wayside Grange kitchen is open and is serving amazing delicious homemade desserts and “pretty good” coffee and cold drinks in our downstairs dining area at intermission.
At 6:30 p.m. the doors open for the concert and Beartracks will take stage at 7 p.m. No reservations needed and tickets are only $15 per person.
If you would like to join Wayside Grange & Theatre and/or volunteer, call Tim Breen at 207-355-5507 and please check out our Facebook page at www.Facebook.com/waysidestage.
The Grange volunteers have improved the comfort level at the Grange Hall with air conditioning. We also have access at ground level entrance, and can be found at 851 North Dexter Rd (Route 23) in North Dexter. Keep watching our Facebook page for more family fun events!